KCRW's Good Food (Food and Drink)

Cooking at home doesn’t mean you need a million cookbooks, according to San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jessica Battilana. Nancy Singleton Hachisu is an authority on making Japanese food at home and her new book is her most ambitious yet. Jonathan Gold heads to the westside for Travis Lett’s take on Japanese cuisine. Martha Mendoza investigates fraudulent seafood labels. Plus: shishito peppers at the market.

The death of Anthony Bourdain is a loss felt around the world. His nomadic spirit redefined how many of us ate and traveled. We dug through the Good Food archives for Evan’s past interviews with Bourdain about everything from “Kitchen Confidential” to No Reservations. Plus, a visit to a remarkable memorial in New York. Also, we learn more about Tony’s love of punk rock from his 2010 appearance on KCRW’s Guest DJ Project.

Water may be the essence of life but it’s subject to near-constant misuse. Journalist Mark Arax profiles a couple running a water monopoly in the Central Valley. A once abundant Cambodian lake is in decline, leaving fisherman and half the population scrambling for fish. We’ve heard of using less water but what about eating less water? And Mark Gold (Jonathan’s brother) shares tips on water conservation in LA.

It’s summer cookout season, and Mark Bittman has some essential grilling tips. Third-generation butcher Katie Flannery talks life in the beef business. English chef James Whetlor wants us to consider eating more goat. As Filipinotown gentrifies, the owners of a new bar are trying to reach out to their neighbors. Jonathan Gold talks food-centric cinema. And a peculiar vegetable is popping up at the farmers market.

Fine dining is nice, but sometimes the best bites are those that remind us of home. Nigella Lawson wants to celebrate home cooks in her latest book. Jonah and Amanda Freedman are recreating the bagels of their childhood at their modern Jewish deli, Freedman’s. Beyond the bagels, Jonathan Gold says the rest of the menu at Freedman’s is delicious and nostalgic in ways difficult to explain. Also, peaches at the market.

What’s the best slice of pie in LA? Pie Contest judge Isa Fabro and reporter Abbie Fentress Swanson are on the hunt. Rhubarb is a favorite pie filling, but its sweetness isn’t always easy to coax out. Jonathan Gold reviews Native in Santa Monica. How can composting help Angelenos control their food waste? Gillian Ferguson takes a look at mezcal production. Also, there’s fresh Thai lemon basil at the market.

This week we talk to a few players taking over our Instagram feeds, including the chefs behind Compton’s Trap Kitchen and Chris Stang, CEO of The Infatuation. André and Tenaya Darlington talk mixing drinks and tunes. Pastry chef Clémence Gossett offers tips on baking with kids, and artichokes are what’s hot at the farmer’s market. Plus: Jonathan Gold delivers his long-awaited verdict on David Chang’s Majordomo.

Journalist Andrew Friedman lifts the veil on how kitchen culture has changed since the 1970s. Just in time for KCRW’s Pie Contest, Stella Parks dishes on her bestselling cookbook, BraveTart. Dan Barber’s latest venture focuses on breeding sustainable seeds. Acadian foodways get a long-awaited spotlight. Thinking about getting takeout? Hayato is creating bento boxes that double as works of art.

It’s time to pay tribute to the makers who expand our understanding of food. Whether it’s forging cutlery like Adam Perry Lang, or inventing new forms of “meat,” it’s the restless creatives who keep food culture in constant motion. We also hear about Harper Magazine’s greatest food writing from the past 150 years, as well as an iconic Southern cookbook author. Plus: a look at Mimouna’s food traditions.

Food media is having a reawakening thanks to a few new trendsetters. David Chang is changing how we eat, learn about, and talk about food with his Netflix series. There’s a new Los Angeles restaurant guide in town, rising from the ashes of a downsized LA Weekly. Noma, once lauded as the best restaurant in the world, has reopened and Jonathan Gold says the magic is still alive. Bonus: Have a (matzo) ball this Passover!

Particularly on the West Coast, Thai food is having a renaissance. Chefs like James Syhabout from Oakland’s Hawker Fare and Andy Ricker from Pok Pok in Portland are reimagining how Thai food is made and presented in their new cookbooks. Thailand’s capital city Bangkok has a unique and beloved food culture. And the history of Thai food in Los Angeles tells the story of Thai immigrant assimilation.

Water may be the essence of life but it’s subject to near-constant misuse. Journalist Mark Arax profiles a couple running a water monopoly in the Central Valley. A once abundant Cambodian lake is in decline, leaving fisherman and half the population scrambling for fish. We’ve heard of using less water but what about eating less water? And Mark Gold (Jonathan’s brother) shares tips on water conservation in LA.

The South Side of Chicago has a rich barbecue heritage, but only half the city seems to know. Chef Nyesha Arrington’s restaurant Native pays homage to the city that made her. Jonathan Gold shares his favorite restaurants in Koreatown. A touching biography of cookbook author Paula Wolfert wins a best cookbook award. And it turns out, many of this year’s Oscar-nominated films are actually all about food.

Brian Boitano shares the struggle that many figure skaters have with food. Kim Severson talks about Chef José Andrés’ humanitarian work in Puerto Rico. Pete Wells asks why restaurateurs and chefs are issuing tepid responses to sexual harassment scandals. Meanwhile, Jonathan Gold ventures a review of The Hearth & Hound in Hollywood. And we’re checking out a different market this week: Smorgasburg LA.

We’re looking inside the modern home kitchen. Cookbook authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg are unleashing creativity. Deb Perelman looks back on Smitten Kitchen and talks everyday meals. Amy Trubek says home cooking has come a long way. And food historian Rachel Laudan explains why ‘easy cooking’ is far from it. Finally, there’s puntarelle at the market and Jonathan Gold finds superlative dim sum.

Curtis Stone’s new theme for Maude takes eaters around the world. A new Netflix series explores crime in the food industry. Koreatown serves up an intimidating dish. Simran Sethi tells us how sound can change the taste of chocolate. Tết celebrations kick off with bánh chưng at Good Girl Dinette. We’ll talk mushrooms at the market and hear just how spicy Jonathan Gold likes his ramen at Killer Noodle.